The use of zinc pyrithione and sodium pyrithione as a bacteriacide/fungicide in paints, metalworking fluids, wood preservatives and personal care items such as shampoos is well-known in the art. By way of illustration. U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,436 discloses the use of pyrithiones in metalworking fluids, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,061 discloses their use in paints.
In the past, the use of sodium and zinc pyrithiones in agricultural products, such as crop treatments, has been impeded due to the relative instability of sodium pyrithione and zinc pyrithione in the presence of ultraviolet (uv) light. In the presence of uv light, such as sunlight, the pyrithione molecule degrades causing a loss of biocidal efficacy.
Heretofore, typical methodology for the eradication of moss from grass growing in a lawn has been to rake out the moss, fertilize the ground and re-seed with grass. This raking treatment is hard on the grasses growing in the area. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a simpler moss treatment method that selectively eradicates moss in a lawn without harming the grass in the lawn. Heretofore, such a treatment method was not known to the knowledge of the present inventor.